Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Luis Suarez, Gareth Bale, Ryan Giggs, Carlos Tevez, Didier Drogba, Paul Scholes, Fernando Torres, Robin van Persie. Many of the players who once dominated English football have departed for pastures new in recent times. Who are the next generation aiming to become the Premier League's 'New A-List' and take it by storm?
Three new arrivals in England are hoping to step up to the plate, but who are they? Our cover story features Anthony Martial, Kevin De Bruyne and Pedro.
Find out why Manchester United's new striker Martial is described as 'a-once-in-a-generation player' as we speak to the people who know him best. Discover how the Bundesliga rescued Manchester City's De Bruyne after an unsuccessful spell at Chelsea. And learn why Stamford Bridge new boy Pedro would fit in nicely in a Shakespeare play as he adapts to life after being made surplus to requirements at Barcelona.
This month's One-on-One interview is with the living legend that is Cafu. Yes, the most capped player in the history of the Brazilian national team and the man who played in not one, not two, but three World Cup finals. Oh, and he played for AC Milan. And Roma. There's plenty to talk about then, not least how close he came to making a complete arse of himself as he clambered on to a very precarious podium to lift the 2002 World Cup, after being hoisted up by none other than Sepp Blatter and Pele. Thanks, guys. Cafu also reveals the real story of Ronaldo's 1998 pre-World Cup final seizure, how close he came to joining Real Madrid, just how Milan lost that unforgettable Champions League final against Liverpool, why he's an even worse penalty taker than Diana Ross and his love for Jon Flanagan. In short, it's an interview worth reading.
There's plenty more worth reading in the magazine, too, not least our exclusive interview with Alan Pardew, the manager who has guided Crystal Palace to fourth place in the Premier League table. Pards explains how he transformed himself from public enemy number one at Newcastle United to Selhurst Park saviour, and how he wouldn't mind a shot at that England job after Roy Hodgson...
Gunnersaurus crashed my wedding! Yes, that really did happen to one unsuspecting chap. It's our feature on mascots, a phenomenon that began with blokes carrying pets and ended up with 8ft furry monstrosities. How do you come up with a mascot, what does the role involve and who wins: birds, dogs, lions or dragons?
Not everything is well with the English game and FFT produces a special report on the death of youth academies. Three years into the Premier League's Elite Player Performance Plan, are they worth it? We speak to a number of clubs to find out the answers. Not all are complimentary about the system.
Tim Howard reveals his Perfect XI, we look back on the telephone craze that was ClubCall and experience England's latest city derby as Westfields face Hereford FC; clubs who were once seven divisions apart, now thrown together by misfortune. We go along to find fans supporting both teams...
In Upfront we investigate who is the most expensive player of all time, discover why Germans have decided to save football's oldest club Sheffield FC and find out which actor wants to feed chicken wings to Ivano Bonetti over a candlelit supper. Steve McManaman also opens up in The Games That Changed My Life.
Gheorghe Hagi speaks to FFT in Planet Football, which also includes a title-winning blind coach from Brazil and an exclusive interview with Bayer Leverkusen free-kick king Hakan Calhanoglu, as well as the Colombian top flight fixture with gate receipts of £8.51. Yes, only two people paid to get in.
In Performance, Willian offers his tips on how to be an industrious playmaker, Aaron Ramsey advises on recovering from injury and FFT investigates a week in the life of England captain Steph Houghton.
The November 2015 issue of FourFourTwo was brought to you by Cafu, Alan Pardew, Gheorghe Hagi, Marcel Desailly, Steve McManaman, Bobby Petta, Thomas Turgoose, Paul Walsh, Armand Garrido, Simon Tchoukriel, Andy Cole, Sean Edwards, Jon Hale, Pete Beadle, Craig Jones, Sam Gwynne, Gareth Ainsworth, Eric Kinder, Paul Devlin, Peter Marsden, Ged Roddy, Jamie Robinson, Simon Cooper, Gary Probert, Jonathan Pearce, Hakan Calhanoglu, Fabio Liverani, Adrian Popa, Deone Lopes, Flavio Aurelio Silva, Andre Barbosa, Aaron Ramsey, Steph Houghton, Willian, Kasper Schmeichel, Ian Atkins, Tim Howard, Mr and Mrs Eagle and the man who created Gunnersaurus. Available from October 7 in print, on iPad and on iPhone or SUBSCRIBE!
